Warm liquids, honey, cold foods, and over-the-counter pain relievers are the most effective options for soothing a sore throat. Most sore throats are caused by viral infections and resolve within a week, so the goal is comfort while your body heals. What works best depends partly on the type of pain you’re feeling and partly on personal preference.
Warm vs. Cold: Both Work Differently
Cold drinks and frozen foods like popsicles, ice chips, and smoothies numb the inflamed tissue and reduce swelling by narrowing blood vessels. This is especially helpful when your throat feels raw and every swallow stings. Warm liquids like broth, tea, and warm water with lemon take a different approach: they open blood vessels, improve circulation to the area, and relax the muscles around your throat. Both reduce pain, just through different mechanisms.
There’s no single “right” temperature. Try both and go with whatever feels better. Some people alternate throughout the day. One caution with cold: prolonged, continuous cold exposure can slow blood flow enough to delay healing, so stick to sipping cold drinks or eating frozen treats rather than holding ice directly against your throat for extended periods. And if either temperature makes the pain worse, stop.
Honey for Pain and Cough
Honey is one of the most well-supported natural remedies for sore throat. A systematic review published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine pooled data from multiple clinical trials and found that honey reduced overall symptom severity, cough frequency, and cough severity compared to standard care. It performed about as well as the common cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medicines, and it outperformed the antihistamine-based approach to cough relief.
Honey works partly by coating the throat, creating a temporary barrier over irritated tissue. You can take it straight by the spoonful, stir it into warm tea, or mix it into warm water with lemon. A tablespoon at a time is a reasonable amount. One firm rule: never give honey to a child under 12 months old. Honey can contain spores that cause infant botulism, a serious form of food poisoning. This applies to honey in any form, including honey mixed into food, water, or formula.
Saltwater Gargle
Gargling with saltwater is a simple, cheap remedy that actually has a physiological basis. Salt dissolved in water creates a solution with higher osmotic pressure than the fluid inside your swollen throat cells. This draws water out of the inflamed tissue, reducing swelling and flushing irritants from the surface. It can also help clear mucus.
The minimum effective ratio is a quarter teaspoon of salt dissolved in half a cup of warm water. You can use a bit more salt if you prefer. Gargle for 15 to 30 seconds, spit it out, and repeat a few times a day. It won’t cure the infection, but it reliably takes the edge off the swelling.
Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
Standard pain relievers like ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and naproxen all help with sore throat pain. Ibuprofen and naproxen also reduce inflammation, which can make them slightly more effective when the throat is visibly swollen. Follow the dosage instructions on the label and choose whichever you normally tolerate well.
Throat sprays containing phenol offer targeted, topical relief. They numb the affected area on contact and can be reapplied every two hours. Lozenges and throat drops work similarly by keeping a medicated coating on the tissue as they dissolve. These are useful supplements to oral pain relievers, not replacements.
Foods That Help (and Foods to Skip)
The best foods for a sore throat are soft, smooth, and easy to swallow. Good options include:
- Broth-based soups, which provide warmth, hydration, and calories without requiring much chewing
- Yogurt and applesauce, which slide down easily and feel cool on inflamed tissue
- Oatmeal and mashed potatoes, which are filling and gentle
- Smoothies and milkshakes, which combine cold relief with nutrition
Equally important is knowing what to avoid. Crunchy, hard foods like crackers, chips, nuts, pretzels, and raw vegetables can scratch and further irritate inflamed tissue. Spicy foods containing pepper, chili powder, or similar seasonings burn on contact. Acidic foods and drinks, especially citrus fruits and carbonated beverages, can sting. If swallowing is particularly painful, even mildly textured foods can be uncomfortable, so lean toward liquids and purees until the worst passes.
Herbal Options Worth Trying
Marshmallow root and slippery elm both contain mucilage, a gel-like compound that coats irritated tissue when mixed with water. They work the same way honey does in principle: creating a physical barrier between your raw throat and everything passing over it. You’ll find them as teas, lozenges, or powdered supplements. Marshmallow root has the added benefit of soothing irritated respiratory tissue if you’re also dealing with a cough.
If you take any prescription medications, use these herbs at least one to two hours apart from your doses. The coating effect that makes them soothing can also interfere with how well your body absorbs other medicines.
Signs Your Sore Throat Needs More Than Home Care
Most sore throats are viral and don’t need antibiotics. But strep throat, caused by a bacterial infection, does. Strep typically comes on suddenly with fever, pain when swallowing, and swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck. The tonsils often look red and may have white patches. Notably, strep usually does not come with a cough, runny nose, hoarseness, or conjunctivitis. If you have those symptoms, a virus is more likely the cause.
The only way to confirm strep is with a rapid test or throat culture. If it’s positive, antibiotics are necessary to prevent complications. A sore throat that lasts longer than a week, gets significantly worse after a few days, or comes with difficulty breathing or opening your mouth warrants a closer look from a professional.